‘Biggest challenge to PNP credibility’

MANILA, Philippines – The killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa by the police inside his jail cell could be the biggest challenge to the credibility of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Sen. Lacson said yesterday.

Lacson said the killing of Espinosa should prompt the Senate to reopen its investigation on extrajudicial killings (EJKs).

Based on the initial reports into Espinosa’s death, Lacson said the incident could very well be classified as an extrajudicial killing.

“Offhand I can smell EJK and I base my conclusion on the circumstances that surround the killing,” he said.

Lacson, a former PNP chief, made several observations on the killing of Espinosa, which he said made no sense.

For a person locked up in jail, Lacson said it is unbelievable that he would engage the police in a shootout, knowing that he would not get out of there alive.

Lacson also questioned why the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) were there to serve the warrant in the early hours and not the court sheriff.

Even with the serving of the warrant itself, Lacson said the CIDG should have coordinated their efforts with the jail warden.

“The only other prisoner inside the same cell was also killed, therefore no witness could testify,” Lacson pointed out.

“Now, I dare them to answer these questions and more in order to convince me to believe their story. I think that incident is the biggest challenge to the credibility of the PNP that could affect even the other operations involving drug suspects killed under similarly suspicious circumstances,” he added.

As a result of the incident, Lacson said he would ask Sen. Richard Gordon to consider reopening the investigation into the issue of EJKs.

The Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights headed by Gordon has concluded its investigation into the issue of EJKs under the Duterte administration and is set to come out with its findings.

Lacson, who heads the committee on oublic order and dangerous drugs, which co-chaired the hearings on EJK, said his primary interest in reopening the probe is to look at the “possibility of cover up for certain personalities in the father and son payola as the motive for the killing, not only the mayor but even the lawyer, earlier this year.”

Gordon, on the other hand, said he would proceed with submitting the committee report on the EJK hearings but would file a new resolution to investigate the Espinosa killing.

Gordon raised his concern about the killing of Espinosa, which he said was “a dagger in the heart of the criminal justice system as it appears that even those who are in the custody of the law are no longer safe.”

“How can we encourage suspects to surrender under the law in this situation? It’s a slap on the face of the rule of law and it signals a more desperate system – a ‘take no prisoners’ approach. This creates an atmosphere of intimidation and fear and puts everybody in danger,” Gordon said.

“It is in the public interest to dispel speculations as well as to allay fear among our people. The police must show that it is responsible and capable of protecting its citizens and delivering justice to them under the rule of law,” he added.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who previously filed a resolution calling for an inquiry into summary killings involving policemen, said the Espinosa killing showed the “usual script” and excuses made by the police.

“At the end of the day, dead men tell no tales. Now, we will never know who his accomplices are, where his supplies are coming from and who his clients are,” Trillanes said.

“It’s now up to the PNP leadership to demonstrate to our people that its professionalism and discipline haven’t broken down completely yet by immediately conducting an impartial and thorough investigation on this incident,” he added.

So many questions 

Malacañang has remained mum on yesterday’s killing of Espinosa.

“The death of Albuera Mayor Espinosa is unfortunate. Investigation is now ongoing but initial reports indicate that the former mayor was killed while being served a search warrant,” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said a statement.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella refused to comment when asked if the killing of Espinosa was in connection with Duterte’s list of local officials involved in illegal drugs.

Espinosa was killed less than two weeks after another town mayor named by Duterte in the narco-list was shot down during a police operation in North Cotabato.

Both Espinosa and Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao town mayor Samsudin Dimaukom had surrendered to the police after Duterte named them.

“No comment regarding that, whether it’s suspicious or not. All we know is that all of these matters are under investigation right now,” Abella said.

He added that it would be best to wait for the results of the investigation before giving more comments on the incident.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said the PNP should immediately make public the results of its investigation over the incident to dispel suspicions of a rubout.

“There are so many questions that need to be answered arising from media reports, like why was a search warrant issued by the judge? Why did Mayor Espinosa allegedly have a gun while in prison?” CHR commissioner Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana asked. – Giovanni Nilles, Janvic Mateo